Straw Hat Kikos

[Straw Hat Kikos]

Cool. Let us know how it works out for you too. Mine is working great for mild goats but as you said, your like to mess with stuff. It it holds up to that then I think it could be a good design for anyone else that has a smaller number of goats an doesn't need huge feeders.

 

[Tmaxson]

I like it, we are going to go with your idea as well. Good job!!

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

I like it, we are going to go with your idea as well. Good job!!

Cool. Hope it works well for you too.

 

[jodief100]

Thanks Starw1 I think those would be great for my buck pen! I don't need a whole lot of mineral up there and we have been struggling with figuring something out.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

That is a great idea, and it just got stolen....I'm so going to put on of those together right now in my buck's love shack.

 

[autumnprairie]

I 'll take two, do you deliver?

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

Time to resume.

I've been a bit busy lately. I was out of state on Sun and Mon-Thur I've been doing all kids of stuff.

But anyway, I had to buy some more mineral for the goats. The feeders are doing good and have been thru a mineral change and the were still rather clean. The loafing shed for the Nigerians is now closed up and has four sides instead of none!! I can not, however, take the credit at all. I did none of it. I was gone but the others did a good job and that's great for the Nigerian does and Milly. The Kikos still don't like to go to the other side of the field to go into their shelter so they sleep over here on the end that is closer to the house. It's been fine this whole time because it hasn't rained. It has been getting to freezing though. Well the other night it did rain and it was really cold so I went out to lead them to the shelter. They follow me to the shelter in the rain and dark and wind but they stand in front of it, turn around and go back to their 'spot'. So I know they got rained on and it was near freezing with alot of wind. I was fully expecting to go out in the morning and see snotty noses. I go out there and they are not wet at all and nobody has snotty noses and nobody even acted like they got cold or wet. Nothing. I was pretty happy about that. But yeah, they're not into that shelter but they do go and get mineral out of it and the dogs like it. And it's not that they don't like the shelter because the do and that's always been their shelter, they just don't like where it's at. lol

But for the real news. It's 'bout Caleb. Well as you all know, I raise Kiko goats. Kikos are known for their internal parasite resistance and the lack of hoof care they need and just overall healthy and superior animals. Well Moses has never been wormed (11months today), Arianna has been wormed once with a useless wormer (Year and 1/2), Sis only once since I had her also with a useless wormer. Alana is the only one that needed something because she had Liverflukes. She needed Ivermec Plus but since then has maintained a nice low count of worms. Sis had nearly NOTHING when I did a fecal on her last week. Arianna and Moses had more but all way below worming level. Coco has been womred a few times but she neer needed it. She was wormed because all the other goats in with her needed it so I did her to so she wouldn't take on the load from the others. Point in case my goats are very healthy in that respect and I want to breed for that. I don't want to have to ever worm my goats and by breeding goats that are very good against it,that helps me achieve that goal. Caleb on the other hand, seems to need worming every 2 months. I went ahead and gave him three different wormers in 20 days all high doses to really clean him out. I do a fecal on him and he shows me a number that is ok but not great. Thing is that number would be ok but not great for a goat that has not been wormed in forever. For a goat that got that much worming he should have next to nothing!! He still had a ton. I have given him a long time of watching and giving him multiple chances. He just is not a goat that has good internal parasite resistance. He also has bad hooves, another thing I want to try and breed for. His need trimming nearly every month!! They are just bad hooves. None of my Kikos need that. Moses has had two in him life and the Kiko does also only need two a year. Coco's hooves are not very good but they are not that bad. So Caleb has two major strikes against him. Two of the most important things a goat should have imo, and he is below par in both. He also has that possible heart murmur. That has not been confirmed but I still think he does have one. He was born with it and it is very rarly genetic so the babies should all be free of it but not something I personally would like to breed. Then throw the worm issues and hoof issues on top. He just has to go. I can not keep that in my breeding program. I know some would but I want the best goats I can breed. He aint of of 'em.

So Caleb will be leaving. At first I was going to slaughter him and eat him here but than realized I need the money. lol I was going to sell him at $1.50 per pound of live weight which is a fair price esp. this time of year with all the ethnic holidays coming up. He weighs 60 pounds now because he lost 10+ during rut. $1.50 per pound at 60 pounds is 90$ in my pocket. Because the sale is a crap shoot and they take a cut I was going to put him on CL. He would be sold as meat ONLY. NOT FOR BREEDING STOCK. I then remembered that I have to give my neighbor a goat a year in return for allowing me to use the land. He's also given alot of stuff to me to help me with my goats and tons of info on them so I figured that this should be his goat. Even though I'll lose that 90$ (if I even got that) I will have to give a goat sometime and he's a great choice for that. So instead of selling him that's where he'll more than likely go. I'm hoping that he does the slaughtering himself and doesn't send him off. Knowing him he'll do it himself. If so I'm hoping to be there to help and possibly do it myself. My goat, I'm getting rid of him, I should be the one to slaughter him. Course if he wants to that's fine as it is his goat. lol I do hope to get a bite though. I'm so excited about eating chevon!!

We'll have to cut him and beef him up for 30 days to get the buck from him, as his wife is very sensitive to both deer and goat buck. So he'll stay for a but longer but Caleb will not be staying.


So I think that's it for now. There's the news and updates.
btw I did update the Kiko page, My page, and how I feed my goats pages.

 

[Southern by choice]

Hey Straw,
your partner here! It will be a little hard, we all love Caleb but you (IMO) are doing the right thing. I can't stand it when people pawn off an animal that should be culled. Since I am retaining C-1 we will get to see how much of these traits he passed on. For those of you who don't know, Caleb was bred to my goat. C-1 is their offspring. My doe has very good resistance and good feet. Not great feet but good. Since she was a great mom and has good traits I wanted to retain her daughter. If she ends up being like her "daddy" she will go too! We still have my buck and you can use him with your girl. Will can cover all the girls. I still think you might want to contact the breeder, you paid good money for him.

Really s-cks about Caleb!!!

Arianna is big with babies already!!!!! I love that girl! If you ever sell her I get first choice, don't know what I'd do with her but that goat is a lovesponge!

 

[marlowmanor]

Sorry to hear about Caleb. That must have been a hard decision. So I guess you'll be looking for a buck to replace him?

 

[PendergrassRanch]

Sooo...I just read your page and I totally was not expecting you to be a guy...